1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper transfer assembly which may be incorporated in an image reading and/or recording apparatus (e.g. facsimile machine, printer) for feeding a substantially continuous paper from a roll thereof. The present invention also relates to an image reading and/or recording apparatus incorporating such a paper transfer assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
A facsimile machine is well know which is designed to print images onto a substantially continuous paper paid out from a roll thereof. One type of facsimile machine may be designed to automatically cut the paper after printing. Another type of facsimile machine may be designed so that the user manually cuts the paper after printing.
As shown in FIG. 10 of the accompanying drawings, a facsimile machine F' of the manual cutting type comprises a recording platen roller 3' for feeding a continuous paper K' from a roll thereof while pressing the paper K' against a printhead 3A'. After printing at the printhead 3A', the user manually cuts the paper K' by utilizing a cutting edge 11' of the machine housing at a paper outlet 10'.
As clearly appreciated from FIG. 10, since the manual cutting edge 11' need be located at the paper outlet 10', the distance L between the platen roller 3'(or the printhead 3A') and the manual cutting edge 11' becomes inevitably large. This distance L corresponds to a blank portion of a cut paper piece K'1, so that a non-negligible amount of the paper K' is wasted. Thus, it is desired to provide a paper transfer assembly which has the function of reversely moving the paper K' after forwardly feeding and manually cutting it but before starting the next printing operation.
On the other hand, a facsimile machine of the automatic paper cutting type incorporates a cutter device located relatively close to the platen roller (or the printhead). Thus, the paper transfer assembly need not have an additional function of reversely moving the paper. Instead, the paper transfer assembly need have an additional function of driving the cutter device.
In this way, the two types of facsimile machine differ greatly from each other with respect to the requirements of the paper transfer assembly. Thus, it has been conventionally necessary to prepare two different kinds of paper transfer assembly for incorporation into the two different types of facsimile machine, consequently resulting in an increase of the production cost. Further, the facsimile machine of the automatic paper cutting type may requires two different motors for driving the platen roller and the cutter device, respectively, which also causes a cost increase.